Boiler



May 2'7 1930. M. N. FREEMA BOILER Filed March 22; 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 27, 1930. M. N. FREEMAN 7 I BOILER l March 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {YMMV MZ%aa//Y 4 f rm/11m Patented May 27, 1930 PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL N. FREEMAN, 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN BOILER Application filed March 22, 1928. Serial No. 263,629.

This invention relates to boilers and is particularly directed to a water circulator for use in boilers.

In certain types of boilers such, for example, as the Scotch Marine type, the fuel in whatever form used, is burned in a furnace portion of the boiler, or in a separate furnace placed in front ofthe boiler, and the gases pass through fiues on their return trip through the boiler and from thence to the smoke stack. This construction of boiler is not favorable to circulation of water Wit-h the consequent result that there is frequently unequal expansion of the different portions of the boiler and also with the result that when the boiler is fired up, a material lapse of time, is required before steam pressure is obtained.

Further, dueto unequal expansion of the parts, as for example, when firing up, and also during operation, leaky joints are very apt to occur.

This invention is designed to overcome the defects noted above, and objects of such invention are to provide a novel form of boiler and circulator therefor, which is so constructed that the water is caused to freely circulate around the furnace portion of the boiler and also in other portions of the boiler, so that the water is maintained constantly in motion and the efficiency is thereby greatly improved, as well as the speed with which the boiler can be brought up to full steam pressure. a

In addition to these advantages, this invention provides a boiler having a furnace portion which is not subjected to unequal expansion. for different parts, but in which the expansion of the several parts is uniform and consequently less straining of the parts of the boiler occurs.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a circulator which may be passed through the manholes or hand holes of the boiler and installed in place within the boiler without altering any construction thereof.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a construction which may be incorporated or builtinto the boiler while the boiler is being formed, and. which is of relatively simple, sturdy, and reliable construction.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the boiler showing the device in place;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the boiler taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of a circulator as it appears removed from the boiler.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the boiler is indicated by the reference character 1 and is provided with a fire grate 2 and a furnace port-ion 3. This furnace portion communicates through the medium of the end chamber 4 with the fines 5. The gases from the fines pass to the header 6 and from thence to the stack 7. V

The attachment comprises a plurality of circulators which are formed preferably of sheet metal, although obviously they maybe formed by casting or otherwise, as required. They each consist of a curved member 8 which has wide flanges 9 adapted to contact with the outer side walls of the furnace 3, as shown most clearly in Figure 2. The de" vice is an open trough on the side next to the furnace and, if desired, the lower ends may be provided with an inner plate 10, so that these lower ends constitute tubes projecting down into the space between the outer shell of the boiler and the furnace. However, it is obvious that the plates 10 may be-omittcd under certain conditions.

These circulators are heldin place by means of an eyelet 11 carried rigidly by such circulators and by means of hooks 12 which are carried by the eyelets and may be freely hooked over an appropriate flue tube 5, as shown in Figure 2. The weight of the circulator will hold it in place in contact with the furnace and with its lower end positioned between the space between the furnace and the outer shell of the boiler.

It is obvious that any number of these devices may be employed. They may be arranged in pairs on oppdsite sides of the fun furnace and hook the members 12 over the appropriate flue pipes.

It is also obvious that the boiler in the course of construction may have .the circulators built therein and secured rigidly to the furnace.

In the operation of the device, it is apparent that as soon as the furnace heats up to any degree whatsoever, as in initial firing for instance, that the water is immediately circulated about the furnace and through the boiler. The lighter heated water held in contact with the furnace by the troughs or circulators 8 naturally immediately rises and draws cold water in from below the furnace. This water becomes heated and passes upwardly and is discharged from the spaced upper ends of the circulators. Thus, there is a constant stream of water being drawn from the lowest portion of the boiler and passed around the furnace and discharged so that there is a constant circulation of water produced within the boiler. It is apparent that this operation or functioning results whether the circulators are rigidly secured in place or whether they are merely hung from flue pipes and held by their own weight in contact with the furnace as disclosed in the draw- I: will be seen that during the steady operation of the boiler that this circulation continuously goes on as the water is confined to the channel-like circulators and is rapidly passed therethrough, thus displacing other water in the boiler and maintaining a uniform and steady circulation.

The net result of this is that the efiiciency of the boiler is very greatly increased, the time required for getting up steam is greatly reduced, and also the unequal stresses to which the boiler was formerly subjected, are avoided.

It is to be noted that in reality, the circulators are articulated, as there is a break between them adjacent their upper ends and as they are hingedly supported from the flue pipes. However, this idea of articulation of the circulators may be carried farther as shown in the modified form :in Figure In this form, the circulator is constructed identically as reviously described, except that it is forme of a plurality of distinct portions joined by means of hinges 13. This construction allows the circulators to be passed through the hand holes and placed in position around the furnaces of boilers already installed in place.

It is obvious that the circulators may be employed in boilers having any number of furnaces, as the function and mode of operation is identically the same with a plurality of furnaces as with the single furnace illustrated.

It will be seen, therefore, that a very simple type of circulator has been provided which may be either built into the boiler during construction, or which may be added as separate elements to finished boilers.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

A circulator including an arcuate body formed of a plurality of hingedly connected sections whereby the end sections may be folded back toward the center of the body to reduce the curvature so that the body may be inserted through a manhole or handhole of a furnace, said body having lateral flanges projecting in the same direction as the curvature and adapted to contact with the outer side walls of a furnace, an eyelet carried by the upper opened end of the body, a hook secured to the eyelet for engaging an adjacent flue tube for supporting the circulator in place, and the lower end of said circulator being formed as a complete tube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin.

MICHAEL N. FREEMAN. 

